Irish bishop gives strong backing to migrants
-14/11/06
Irish people’s long-term expe
Irish bishop gives strong backing to migrants
-14/11/06
Irish people’s long-term experience of emigration means that they have a particular responsibility to offer a warm welcome to those migrating to Ireland, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Derry, Dr Seamus Hegarty, declared this week.
Churches across Britain and Ireland have spoken out strongly against the harsh and intolerant policies and attitudes to migrants (including refugees and asylum seekers) in recent years.
Talking at a drop-in centre and supported housing complex for elderly Irish people in Birmingham, Bishop Hegarty, who chairs the Irish Episcopal Commission for Emigrants, said history had shown that immigration often caused “neglect, exploitation and removal of status and resulted in an immense fall-out in terms of human suffering and economic stagnation.”
Said Bishop Hegarty: “What, you may ask, is the twenty-first century lesson that can be learnt from this historical legacy? It is this: If we lose sight of the individual migrant, we promote globalization without a conscience.î
He went on: ì[A]s we face the challenge of welcoming immigrants to Ireland we find ourselves reflecting on the story of Irish emigration as a touchstone for policy and initiatives. We now have a real responsibility to ensure that we provide a welcome that befits the dignity of those who migrate to Ireland.”
In February 2004 Bishop Hegarty launched the three year ëSupporting Irish Abroadí (SIA) awareness campaign at the Irish Centre in Camden Town, London, reports that Irish Catholic Media Office.
The focus for the first year of the campaign was on the Irish living in Britain, who, having emigrated in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, are now at the greatest risk in terms of their physical and mental health.
Bishop Hegarty said the Irish Bishops had received generous support for the campaign, which raised over £500,000 last year.
He declared: “What is clear from the success of the campaign is that Irish people at home express solidarity with you, their brothers and sisters, living abroad.”
Bishop Hegarty gave the Birmingham project £50,000 from the fund towards their outreach services to elderly Irish people in their homes.
[With acknowledgments to Independent Catholic News, http://www.indcatholicnews.com]
Irish bishop gives strong backing to migrants
-14/11/06
Irish people’s long-term experience of emigration means that they have a particular responsibility to offer a warm welcome to those migrating to Ireland, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Derry, Dr Seamus Hegarty, declared this week.
Churches across Britain and Ireland have spoken out strongly against the harsh and intolerant policies and attitudes to migrants (including refugees and asylum seekers) in recent years.
Talking at a drop-in centre and supported housing complex for elderly Irish people in Birmingham, Bishop Hegarty, who chairs the Irish Episcopal Commission for Emigrants, said history had shown that immigration often caused “neglect, exploitation and removal of status and resulted in an immense fall-out in terms of human suffering and economic stagnation.”
Said Bishop Hegarty: “What, you may ask, is the twenty-first century lesson that can be learnt from this historical legacy? It is this: If we lose sight of the individual migrant, we promote globalization without a conscience.î
He went on: ì[A]s we face the challenge of welcoming immigrants to Ireland we find ourselves reflecting on the story of Irish emigration as a touchstone for policy and initiatives. We now have a real responsibility to ensure that we provide a welcome that befits the dignity of those who migrate to Ireland.”
In February 2004 Bishop Hegarty launched the three year ëSupporting Irish Abroadí (SIA) awareness campaign at the Irish Centre in Camden Town, London, reports that Irish Catholic Media Office.
The focus for the first year of the campaign was on the Irish living in Britain, who, having emigrated in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, are now at the greatest risk in terms of their physical and mental health.
Bishop Hegarty said the Irish Bishops had received generous support for the campaign, which raised over £500,000 last year.
He declared: “What is clear from the success of the campaign is that Irish people at home express solidarity with you, their brothers and sisters, living abroad.”
Bishop Hegarty gave the Birmingham project £50,000 from the fund towards their outreach services to elderly Irish people in their homes.
[With acknowledgments to Independent Catholic News, http://www.indcatholicnews.com]